Locked Away at Sea-- Epilogue
The sheets felt cool and smooth against her bare legs as she slid them across the bed. Aoto had the entire queen-size to herself, and she relished the space her legs had to roam, to bend and stretch. The digital clock shone 1:00 a.m., and Aoto knew she should be asleep. She had work the next day. Serizawa would want her alert and ready to represent their clients. But even while she liked the ability to extend her limbs in every direction, Aoto wasn’t a fan of sleeping alone. Several months ago, it wouldn’t have been a problem-- but now it was. Now she was having a hard time convincing her eyes to close.
Finally, maybe twenty minutes later, Aoto’s eyelids were starting to get heavy. Blinking became something she was mildly aware of, as it seemed to take longer each time her eyelids fluttered closed before they opened again... But then she heard it. There was a slight rustling outside the apartment door, followed by a jostling of the door knob. Just the smallest jostle, but Aoto heard it and perked up.
Within minutes, maybe seconds, as Aoto lay in bed avidly listening for even the smallest sign of movement, there was a series of clicks and the front door swung open. Squeaking, Aoto drew the covers up and squeezed her eyes shut tight. Her breath was shallow against the top sheet, and she nearly squeaked again when she felt the bed dip.
Smoothly, efficiently, the covers were pulled from her, but Aoto only scrunched her eyes tighter and clamped her mouth shut. The nightshirt she wore to sleep left her cold, now that she was exposed, and her body wanted to curl into a ball for warmth, but she did her best to keep still. She wanted to see what would happen if she didn’t react yet.
“You had the locks changed...again.”
Aoto tried to not smile, gasping slightly at sudden closeness, but failed as her lips twitched up at the corners. The voice was so close to her ear, low and steady, and his breath was warm on her cheek before she felt it on her neck. Small, but firm kisses followed, pressing steadily against her pulse down towards where her shirt exposed her collarbone.
Breath hitching, Aoto opened her eyes and rolled away from Enomoto before she forgot herself. He’d been gone the last two days, and then didn’t return until the wee hours of the morning. And he didn’t call once to say he wasn’t going to be back in time for dinner. She’d cooked and everything. Kind of. The oven had been on.
Not that she was actually angry. She was just having a bit of fun with him. Aoto liked to push his buttons, except she was pretty sure that Enomoto was already catching on. Crossing her arms in front of herself, she knelt on the bed and pouted anyway. Enomoto met her eyes and sat back on his heels. He was dressed in all black again, looking like a thief in the night, and Aoto wondered just what exactly he’d been doing.
“I missed you,” Enomoto said smoothly, a first attempt at appeasing her. He already had a list of possibilities forming in his head in case Aoto was acting this way because of something else.
“You didn’t call.”
Ah. Possiblity #2
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I called Asuka-chan. She told me you were off confirming whether or not a man’s wife was allowing another man entrance into her ‘locked’ bedroom... Why was she locked in her bedroom?”
“She was locking her husband out,” Enomoto corrected, lips quirking as his gaze slid towards the door he’d been previously locked out of.
“Lucky she wasn’t married to you then... Or were you the man visiting her every night? You were weren’t you?” Aoto gasped dramatically, flinging herself face-down onto the mattress in mock-despair.
Enomoto made the slightest sound in his throat, the softest of chuckles, before rolling her onto her back and straddling Aoto so he could look down at her.
“No. It wasn’t me.”
“Who was it?”
“I don’t care,” Enomoto responded, leaving his lips parted as he ran his fingertips over her collarbones, down her ribcage, and back up again to trace, lightly, the swells of her breasts before gripping the edge of her nightshirt and pulling it up swiftly, successfully pulling Aoto into a sitting position that left her face very close to his.
Someone else wouldn’t have seen it, even if the person’s face was as close as Aoto’s was to Enomoto’s, but his feelings for her were reflected in his dark eyes. Aoto could see them there, clearly, flickering just out of reach for anyone else. Something as brazen as lust- which Reiko-chan had a hard time imagining Enomoto felt even though she really didn’t have room to talk, considering who she was pretending not to be sleeping with- and something a little warmer... a little sweeter. She’d waited over two days to see that look.
Aoto let him pull the shirt up over her head and toss it (smoothly and accurately) into the laundry basket before she leaned forward to kiss him fiercely. His tongue, so hesitant and careful with words, stroked expertly against hers. Aoto took the opportunity to cup his jawline, feeling the sensuous movement and the slight stubble rough against her palm. He smelled like the night air, as if he’d been working outside for hours... or keeping watch? Maybe teaming up with Shuntaro meant he was doing stakeouts now. The idea excited her, and she moaned against his mouth as his fingertips lightly pinched the skin of her inner thigh. She wanted those fingers to move faster, reach their destination sooner, but Aoto knew there was no hurrying him. It was far better to let Enomoto move at his own pace.
His efficiency at pleasing her, how quickly he’d memorized every tender place on her body and which places made her shiver or moan depending on how he touched them, was still astounding to Aoto... and something of a challenge to both of them. She strived to make him work a little harder to please her, and Enomoto, pun intended, always rose to the occasion. Aoto was still learning his body’s secrets, but that really couldn’t be too much of a shock to either of them. He’d always held his secrets very close to his heart, and it took time to coax them out.
Enomoto knew he was lucky to have found a woman willing to take the time.
But that’s not where his head was at the moment. Right then, Enomoto’s thoughts were much more focused on the dampness pressed low on his waist as Aoto wrapped her legs around him. His length was wedged against Aoto’s warm skin, and he resisted the urge to thrust shallowly against her. Instead, he kissed her again. Her mouth had been sucking a bruise just above the hollow where his neck met his shoulder, where she knew he liked it, but was willingly guided back up to meet his. Enomoto knew he’d never grow tired of kissing Aoto; that she’d never lose his interest like broken locks did. Her mouth was too slick and inviting; too hot and vibrant and expressive-- just like her. And Enomoto liked her. He liked her alot.
In fact...
Enomoto leaned forward, sudden enough to earn another gasp from Aoto as her back hit the bed. Within seconds, he was positioned to slide into her, and Aoto squirmed and whined when he paused.
“What? What is it? Kei?” Aoto huffed, eyes, clouded with lust, clearing as they searched his.
“I love you.”
The words fell quietly, monotone from his lips, but the weight they carried was greater than anything he’d said before. Aoto’s heart lurched, but she didn’t have time to respond as he thrust deeply within her. Driven by his confession, he gripped her hips, tilting them up so he could carry them both to the edge roughly, quickly, fiercely, and without caution or precision or anything that defined him in contrast to her. His mind was only on Aoto and the way she made him feel. The impact she had on his world.
Aoto gripped Enomoto tightly, heart suddenly heavy with emotion for the man bringing her closer and closer to oblivion with each violent snap of his hips. She could barely breathe, the weight of her feelings bubbling dangerously close to tears as their frenzied lovemaking gave her little chance to fill her lungs with air. It was suddenly too much, too hot, the friction too intense and Aoto felt herself fall just before Enomoto joined her, and then they both were dissolving into the white-heat sizzling around them.
His body collapsed onto hers with an uncharacteristic, graceless thud, and Aoto wound her arms around his neck so she could ruffle his hair gently. Two or three of the tears that threatened before were trickling down her cheeks as she sighed. Enomoto felt one reach his shoulder and lifted his head curiously.
“I’m sorry, Junko” he said, an automatic response to crying, but his eyes were questioning. He didn’t understand. He pushed himself up so he could touch her cheek. His fingertips were shaking. Was this rejection? What was this? Why did it hurt? Was she hurting?
Aoto shook her head and pulled him back down to her chest, “I love you too.”
(I'm really still considering another epilogue or side-stories featuring the characters from the other dramas. Let me know if you think I should)
Finally, maybe twenty minutes later, Aoto’s eyelids were starting to get heavy. Blinking became something she was mildly aware of, as it seemed to take longer each time her eyelids fluttered closed before they opened again... But then she heard it. There was a slight rustling outside the apartment door, followed by a jostling of the door knob. Just the smallest jostle, but Aoto heard it and perked up.
Within minutes, maybe seconds, as Aoto lay in bed avidly listening for even the smallest sign of movement, there was a series of clicks and the front door swung open. Squeaking, Aoto drew the covers up and squeezed her eyes shut tight. Her breath was shallow against the top sheet, and she nearly squeaked again when she felt the bed dip.
Smoothly, efficiently, the covers were pulled from her, but Aoto only scrunched her eyes tighter and clamped her mouth shut. The nightshirt she wore to sleep left her cold, now that she was exposed, and her body wanted to curl into a ball for warmth, but she did her best to keep still. She wanted to see what would happen if she didn’t react yet.
“You had the locks changed...again.”
Aoto tried to not smile, gasping slightly at sudden closeness, but failed as her lips twitched up at the corners. The voice was so close to her ear, low and steady, and his breath was warm on her cheek before she felt it on her neck. Small, but firm kisses followed, pressing steadily against her pulse down towards where her shirt exposed her collarbone.
Breath hitching, Aoto opened her eyes and rolled away from Enomoto before she forgot herself. He’d been gone the last two days, and then didn’t return until the wee hours of the morning. And he didn’t call once to say he wasn’t going to be back in time for dinner. She’d cooked and everything. Kind of. The oven had been on.
Not that she was actually angry. She was just having a bit of fun with him. Aoto liked to push his buttons, except she was pretty sure that Enomoto was already catching on. Crossing her arms in front of herself, she knelt on the bed and pouted anyway. Enomoto met her eyes and sat back on his heels. He was dressed in all black again, looking like a thief in the night, and Aoto wondered just what exactly he’d been doing.
“I missed you,” Enomoto said smoothly, a first attempt at appeasing her. He already had a list of possibilities forming in his head in case Aoto was acting this way because of something else.
“You didn’t call.”
Ah. Possiblity #2
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I called Asuka-chan. She told me you were off confirming whether or not a man’s wife was allowing another man entrance into her ‘locked’ bedroom... Why was she locked in her bedroom?”
“She was locking her husband out,” Enomoto corrected, lips quirking as his gaze slid towards the door he’d been previously locked out of.
“Lucky she wasn’t married to you then... Or were you the man visiting her every night? You were weren’t you?” Aoto gasped dramatically, flinging herself face-down onto the mattress in mock-despair.
Enomoto made the slightest sound in his throat, the softest of chuckles, before rolling her onto her back and straddling Aoto so he could look down at her.
“No. It wasn’t me.”
“Who was it?”
“I don’t care,” Enomoto responded, leaving his lips parted as he ran his fingertips over her collarbones, down her ribcage, and back up again to trace, lightly, the swells of her breasts before gripping the edge of her nightshirt and pulling it up swiftly, successfully pulling Aoto into a sitting position that left her face very close to his.
Someone else wouldn’t have seen it, even if the person’s face was as close as Aoto’s was to Enomoto’s, but his feelings for her were reflected in his dark eyes. Aoto could see them there, clearly, flickering just out of reach for anyone else. Something as brazen as lust- which Reiko-chan had a hard time imagining Enomoto felt even though she really didn’t have room to talk, considering who she was pretending not to be sleeping with- and something a little warmer... a little sweeter. She’d waited over two days to see that look.
Aoto let him pull the shirt up over her head and toss it (smoothly and accurately) into the laundry basket before she leaned forward to kiss him fiercely. His tongue, so hesitant and careful with words, stroked expertly against hers. Aoto took the opportunity to cup his jawline, feeling the sensuous movement and the slight stubble rough against her palm. He smelled like the night air, as if he’d been working outside for hours... or keeping watch? Maybe teaming up with Shuntaro meant he was doing stakeouts now. The idea excited her, and she moaned against his mouth as his fingertips lightly pinched the skin of her inner thigh. She wanted those fingers to move faster, reach their destination sooner, but Aoto knew there was no hurrying him. It was far better to let Enomoto move at his own pace.
His efficiency at pleasing her, how quickly he’d memorized every tender place on her body and which places made her shiver or moan depending on how he touched them, was still astounding to Aoto... and something of a challenge to both of them. She strived to make him work a little harder to please her, and Enomoto, pun intended, always rose to the occasion. Aoto was still learning his body’s secrets, but that really couldn’t be too much of a shock to either of them. He’d always held his secrets very close to his heart, and it took time to coax them out.
Enomoto knew he was lucky to have found a woman willing to take the time.
But that’s not where his head was at the moment. Right then, Enomoto’s thoughts were much more focused on the dampness pressed low on his waist as Aoto wrapped her legs around him. His length was wedged against Aoto’s warm skin, and he resisted the urge to thrust shallowly against her. Instead, he kissed her again. Her mouth had been sucking a bruise just above the hollow where his neck met his shoulder, where she knew he liked it, but was willingly guided back up to meet his. Enomoto knew he’d never grow tired of kissing Aoto; that she’d never lose his interest like broken locks did. Her mouth was too slick and inviting; too hot and vibrant and expressive-- just like her. And Enomoto liked her. He liked her alot.
In fact...
Enomoto leaned forward, sudden enough to earn another gasp from Aoto as her back hit the bed. Within seconds, he was positioned to slide into her, and Aoto squirmed and whined when he paused.
“What? What is it? Kei?” Aoto huffed, eyes, clouded with lust, clearing as they searched his.
“I love you.”
The words fell quietly, monotone from his lips, but the weight they carried was greater than anything he’d said before. Aoto’s heart lurched, but she didn’t have time to respond as he thrust deeply within her. Driven by his confession, he gripped her hips, tilting them up so he could carry them both to the edge roughly, quickly, fiercely, and without caution or precision or anything that defined him in contrast to her. His mind was only on Aoto and the way she made him feel. The impact she had on his world.
Aoto gripped Enomoto tightly, heart suddenly heavy with emotion for the man bringing her closer and closer to oblivion with each violent snap of his hips. She could barely breathe, the weight of her feelings bubbling dangerously close to tears as their frenzied lovemaking gave her little chance to fill her lungs with air. It was suddenly too much, too hot, the friction too intense and Aoto felt herself fall just before Enomoto joined her, and then they both were dissolving into the white-heat sizzling around them.
His body collapsed onto hers with an uncharacteristic, graceless thud, and Aoto wound her arms around his neck so she could ruffle his hair gently. Two or three of the tears that threatened before were trickling down her cheeks as she sighed. Enomoto felt one reach his shoulder and lifted his head curiously.
“I’m sorry, Junko” he said, an automatic response to crying, but his eyes were questioning. He didn’t understand. He pushed himself up so he could touch her cheek. His fingertips were shaking. Was this rejection? What was this? Why did it hurt? Was she hurting?
Aoto shook her head and pulled him back down to her chest, “I love you too.”
(I'm really still considering another epilogue or side-stories featuring the characters from the other dramas. Let me know if you think I should)